Poinsettia plant named ‘Dueearlyglory’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Dueearlyglory’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early flowering habit; inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEEARYGLORY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dueearlyglory’.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as codenumber RF0623, not patented. The cultivar Dueearlyglory was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within a population ofplants of the parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment inRheinberg, Germany in December, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany sinceDecember, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Dueearlyglory has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dueearlyglory’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dueearlyglory’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Poinsettia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early flowering habit.    -   4. Inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts.    -   5. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants ofthe new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the parentselection in flower bract coloration as plants of the new Poinsettia hadbrighter red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettiacultivar Dueuroglory, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differedprimarily from plants of the cultivar Dueuroglory in flower bract coloras plants of the new Poinsettia had brighter red-colored flowers bractsthan plants of the cultivar Dueuroglory. In addition, plants of the newPoinsettia flowered about one week earlier than plants of the cultivarDueuroglory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia. The photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Poinsettia. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dueearlyglory’ grownin a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotograph and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Rheinberg, Germany during the winter in a glass-coveredgreenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 22° C. andlight levels were about 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants weregrown in 13-cm containers and were pinched one time about five weeksafter planting the cuttings. Plants were about 16 weeks old when thephotograph and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar    Dueearlyglory.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary    selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number    RF0623, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About nine days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant summer.—About three            weeks at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young, plant, winter.—About four            weeks at 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences positioned above            the foliar plane. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 38 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about six to seven lateral branches develop after            pinching. Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 8.6 cm. Width: About 7.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Lobed; dentate. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 141B.            Developing foliage, lower surface: 137B. Fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: 139A; venation, 146C. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 138A; venation, 144B. Petiole:            Length: About 5.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 59A.        -   Inflorescence description.—Inflorescence type and habit:            Inflorescences are compound corymbs of cyathia with colored            flower bracts subtending the cyathia. One inflorescence per            lateral branch. Flowers are not fragrant. Flowers            persistent. Inflorescences positioned above the foliage.            Natural flowering season: Autumn/winter; inflorescence            initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod            conditions. Early flowering, response time is about seven            weeks. Post-production longevity: Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about eight weeks under            interior conditions. Inflorescence size: Diameter: About            17 cm. Height (depth): About 3.5 cm. Flower bracts: Quantity            per inflorescence: About 17. Length: About 7.5 cm. Width:            About 4.9 cm. Shape: Ovate; slightly lobed. Apex: Apiculate.            Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; slightly lobed. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Glabrous; rugose. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts, upper            surface: 53A. Developing or transitional bracts, lower            surface: 53B. Fully developed bracts, upper surface: 53A;            color becoming closer to 53B with development. Fully            developed bracts, lower surface: 53B. Venation, upper and            lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color. Bract            petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 53B. Cyathia: Quantity per corymb:            About 15. Diameter of cyathia cluster: About 2.5 cm. Length:            About 7 mm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color,            immature: 144B. Color, mature: 144A. Nectaries: Quantity per            cyathium: About one or two. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color:            14A. Peduncles: Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Strength: Strong to moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium:            About 30. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: 31A. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color:            14B. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One. Pistil length:            About 1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 144B.            Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: 53A. Ovary color: 144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    shown to be resistant to Botrytis. Plants of the new Poinsettia have    not been shown to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common    to Poinsettias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 12° C. about    40° C.

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Dueearlyglory’ asillustrated and described.